Disease Mechanisms of Prenatal and Pediatric Hydrocephalus (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 18 622

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Disease Mechanisms of Prenatal and Pediatric Hydrocephalus (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PA 18 622.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 93.853.

What type of grant mechanism is being offered?

This is an NIH R01 funding opportunity, intended for substantive, mature research projects with well-developed aims and rigorous experimental plans.

Is this program discretionary?

Yes. The listing describes it as a discretionary grant program.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The core purpose is to support hypothesis-driven, mechanistic (non-clinical-trial) research that explains how hydrocephalus develops before birth and during childhood, and how it arises and progresses in prenatal and pediatric settings.

Is this opportunity focused on describing hydrocephalus or explaining why it happens?

The emphasis is on generating mechanistic, testable insights into why hydrocephalus arises and progresses, not simply describing the condition.

What kinds of research does NIH want to support under this FOA?

NIH is looking for research that digs into molecular, cellular, and developmental pathways that drive the pathogenesis of prenatal and pediatric hydrocephalus. Projects should be framed around specific mechanisms and causality.

What are the two broad causation categories highlighted in the scientific scope?

The FOA highlights (1) developmental (intrinsic) etiologies, including genetic contributors and other internal developmental factors, and (2) acquired (extrinsic) etiologies, especially early-life insults such as hemorrhage and infection.

What does "developmental (intrinsic) etiologies" mean in the context of this FOA?

It refers to internal developmental contributors, including genetic factors and other intrinsic developmental processes that predispose the fetal or pediatric brain to abnormal CSF dynamics and ventricular enlargement.

What does "acquired (extrinsic) etiologies" mean in the context of this FOA?

It refers to causes arising from external or acquired events relevant to early life, particularly hemorrhage and infection, which may disrupt CSF circulation or absorption and trigger hydrocephalus.

What biological systems or processes are specifically mentioned as relevant?

The FOA centers on mechanisms tied to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, ventricular enlargement, disruption of CSF circulation or absorption, and the molecular/cellular/developmental pathways underlying these processes.

Does the FOA encourage studies involving genetics?

Yes. It explicitly encourages studies of genetic contributors and how gene variants may alter neural development and contribute to hydrocephalus.

Does the FOA encourage research related to inflammation, hemorrhage, or infection?

Yes. It highlights extrinsic etiologies such as hemorrhage and infection and gives examples like inflammation changing ventricular lining function and blood products after hemorrhage interfering with CSF flow and absorption.

Are clinical trials allowed under this FOA?

No. The FOA is designated "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the proposed work should not be a prospective clinical trial designed to evaluate an intervention in human participants.

What does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean in practical terms for applicants?

Applicants should avoid proposing prospective interventional testing in humans. The opportunity emphasizes basic, translational, and mechanistic studies (for example, disease modeling, pathway analysis, developmental neurobiology, and genetics) aimed at explaining causality and progression.

Can a project still be translational if clinical trials are not allowed?

Yes. The FOA emphasizes mechanistic discovery and foundational biology that can eventually inform prevention, diagnosis, and better therapeutic strategies, even though interventional clinical testing is not part of this announcement.

What kinds of experimental approaches are consistent with the FOA's stated emphasis?

Approaches aligned with the FOA include disease modeling, biological pathway analysis, developmental neurobiology, genetics, and other experimental strategies that explain causal mechanisms and disease progression.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes academic and research institutions as well as a wide range of other organization types described in the announcement.

Are government entities eligible to apply?

Yes. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, and special district governments.

Are public and private higher education institutions eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible?

Yes. Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education) are included as eligible applicants.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are eligible, and small businesses are also listed as eligible.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and non-federally recognized Native American tribal organizations are included.

Are housing authorities eligible?

Yes. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities are listed as eligible applicants.

Are independent school districts eligible?

Yes. Independent school districts are included in the eligible applicant types.

Does the FOA explicitly include minority-serving and specialized institutions?

Yes. The FOA explicitly notes inclusion of Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, and TCCUs.

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly noted among eligible entities.

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included among eligible entities.

Are regional organizations eligible?

Yes. Regional organizations are explicitly included in the eligibility list.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA notes that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are eligible.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on February 1, 2018.

What closing date is listed in the provided information?

The original closing date listed is September 7, 2021.

Is an award ceiling provided in the listing?

No. The provided source data does not specify an award ceiling.

Does the listing provide an expected number of awards?

No. The provided source data does not provide an expected number of awards.

Why might award ceilings or award counts be missing from this summary?

The summary notes that this can be common in some NIH FOA listings, where budgets and award counts may depend on annual appropriations, institute priorities, and the quality of the applicant pool.

What is the overall "best read" of this announcement?

It is a call for strong, mechanism-focused R01 applications that explain how prenatal and pediatric hydrocephalus starts and evolves, especially through genetic/developmental drivers and early-life insults like hemorrhage and infection, without proposing a clinical trial.